Circular-saw stump-cutting attachment for tractors



June 24, l952 R E, CHAPMAN 2,601,366

CIRCULAR-SAW STUMP-CUTTING ATTACHMENT FOR TRACTORS Filed June 9. 1950 2 SHEETS--SHEET l June 24, 1952 R E CHAPMAN y2,601,366

CIRCULAR-SAW sTUMP-CUTTING ATTACHMENT FOR TRAcToRs Filed .June 9, 195o 2 SHEETS- SHEET 2 W g T w? @A 0 la l f l@ S N IN V EN TOR.

Pavan/ Ef CHIP/1mm BY Patented June 24, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CIRCULAR-SAW STUlVIP-CUTTING ATTACHMENT FOR TRACTORS Reuben E. Chapman, Tillar, Ark.

Application June 9, 1950, Serial No. 167,133

2 Claims.

This invention relates to a cutting attachment for a tractor.

An object of this invention is to provide an attachment for a tractor which is particularly adapted for cutting tree stumps.

Another object of this invention is to provide a cutting attachment for a tractor which is particularly adapted for clearing land to be cultivated, wherein it is necessary to cut away the visible portions of tree stumps prior to cultivation.

A further object of this invention is to provide a cutting attachment which is particularly adapted to be operatively connected to the power take-ofi of a tractor.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a cutting attachment for a tractor which is simple in structure and cheap to manufacture.

The above and still further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon a consideration of the following detailed description, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a side elevational view of the cutting attachment of the present invention shown assembled with a tractor in position to cut a tree stump;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the cutting attachment of the present invention shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of Figure 2; and

Figure 4 is an enlarged perspective view of the hitch for securing the cutting attachment to the tractor.

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of Figure 2.

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 6-6 of Figure 2.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals have been used throughout the several views to designate like parts, there is shown the cutting attachment of the present invention, generally designated by the reference numeral I0, supported on a tractor of the Ford, Ford-Ferguson, or Ferguson types. The tractor embodies a frame I2 carrying an axle housing I3 which is provided with a rearwardly extending power take-olf shaft I4., the shaft including a splined end I5 for attachment to drive power-driven equipment. Disposed longitudinally of and rearwardly of the frame I2 of the tractor contiguous to the power take-off I4 is a hydraulically actuated drawbar which is connected at V2 one end to the frame I2 for up and down movement toward and away from a ground surface I8, the drawbar having a crossbar I6 at the other end and being designated by the reference numeral I'I.

The attachment I0 includes a hitch 20, Figure 4, which embodies spaced, vertically disposed side walls 2|, 22, and an end wall 23 extending between the side walls and xedly secured thereto, and a base plate 24 extending between the side walls 2|, 22 contiguous to the lower ends thereof and pivotally supported thereon by means of the transversely extending bolts 25, 26 which are loosely received and supported within the adjacent ends of 23 is provided with a reinforcing collar 21 disposed in confronting relation therewith and secured thereto. Disposed centrally of the reinforcing collar 21 there is provided an aperture v28 which extends through the end wall 23. At

spaced intervals about the reinforcing collar 21, the end wall 23 is provided withA bolt-receiving apertures, generally designated by the reference numeral 29, for xedly securing the hitch 20 to the axle housing I3 with the power takeoff shaft I4 extending through the opening 28.

Positioned longitudinally of the drawbar and resting upon the crossbar I6 of the drawbar is a support 30, the support having one end connected to the base plate 24 of the hitch 20 for swinging movement about a vertical axis. The support includes a supporting plate 3| which has one end positioned below the base plate 24. Spaced above said one end of the supporting plate 3| and supported on the latter is an arm 32 which overlies the base plate 24. Extending transversely through the superimposed portions of the supporting plate 3|, the base plate 24 and the arm 32 is a bolt 33 which provides the pivotal axis for the elongated support 30. Accordingly, the support 30 is connected to the hitch 2|) for pivotal movement in a Vertical plane t0- ward and away from the ground surface I8 about the bolts 25, 26 as a pivotal axis, and for swinging movement in select positions of the pivotal movement about the bolt 33.

Extending longitudinally of the supporting plate 3| and xedly secured thereto is a U- shaped channel 34 which has its legs facing inwardly of the supporting plate 3|. Disposed in face-to-face and spaced relation with respect the base plate 24. The end wall cooperate to form the elongated support 3U which is open at its ends and provided with a longitudinally extending slot 36 in the open top thereof.

Fixedly secured to the end of the support 30 remote from the power take-off is an end wall 31 provided with an aperture 38 extending transversely therethrough. Disposed longitudinally Within the elongated support 3D is a driven shaft 39 which has one end operatively connected to the power take-off shaft I4 by means of a universal joint 4U which is operatively connected to the splined end I 5 of the power take-off shaft. The other end of the driven shaft 3,9 is'received within the aperture 38 of the end wal1'3'I.v

Disposed in end-to-end, aligned relation with respect to the support 3l) and xedly secured to the end wall 31 thereof is an open-ended, cylindrical sleeve 4I which includes anged ends 42, 43. Supported within the open end of the sleeve 4I contiguous to the end wall 31 is a bea-ring 4.4 which rotatably journals a stub shaft 45 carried by' the adjacent end'of the drivenr shaft 39, the stub shaft ,45 projecting into thesleeve 4I.

As clearly shown in Figure 3, the vcylindrical sleeve 4I is provided with a depending housing 4.6 which has one end fixedly secured to the periphery of the cylindrical sleeve 4I and has its other'end terminating adjacent to and spaced from the latter. The peripheral wall of the cylindrical sleeve 4I contiguousto the depending housing 46 is provided with a bearing 41 which rotatably journals a shaft 48 which'has one end extending into the cylindrical sleeve 4I and has its, other end extending through and projectingbeyond the terminating end of the housing 4B. The proieCting end of the shaft 48 qontigious to the"termina-ting end of the housing 4,6 is threaded, as indicated by the reference numeral 49, and supports av circular cutter blade 4 the elongated support at a select level with respect to the ground surface I8.

In actual use, the tractor I I is brought into position contiguous to a stump to be cut, whereupon the hydraulically actuated drawbar I1 is brought out of its supported position beneath the support 30 to thereby permit the support 30 to be pivoted toward and away from the ground surface I8. The movement of the support 30 is effected by grasping the handle 55 and imparting a downward force to the attachment against the upwardly directed force applied by the spring 6 2. The support 30 is brought into position contiguous to one side of the trunk 65 to be cut, whereupon the clutch of the tractor is let out to put the power take-off shaft I4 into operation. It is to be noted that the gearing ratio between`the bevel gears 53, 54 is selected so that Vthe driven shaft 39 does not have to rotate at excessively high speed in effecting the rotation of the cutter blade 58. By manually grasping the handle 55, it is possible to rock the entire attachment about the pivotal axis extending transyersely of the base plate 24 of the hitch 20, to thereby cut awaythe stump. If the stump is of such a size that the entire cutting operation 5 0, the blade being supported by means of a washer 5I and a nut 52` threadedly engaging the threaded portion 59 of the shaft 48.

Fixedly secured to the end of the stub shaft within the cylindrical sleeve 4I is a first bevel gear 53.v Fixedly secured to the end of the shaft 48 and extending into the cylindrical sleeve 4I is a second bevel gear 54 which is in meshing engagement with respect to the first-named bevel gear. Accordingly, an ,operative connection is effected between the driven shaft 39 and the shaft .-48f l Extending upwardly and rearwardly of the support 3 9' and fixedly secured thereto is a handle, generally designated Vby the reference numeral 55. The handle 55 embodies a U-shaped arm A5.8 which has its legs fxedly secured to the opposite sides of the support 30 by means of the bolts .designated by the reference numeral 51. lpependi-ngfly supported from the legs of the U- shaped handle 55 is a reinforcing strut 58 which has its :lower end operatively connected to the sleeve f4I by means of a cover plate 59 which is detachablysecured across the other open end of the sleeve 4I, the cover plate being provided with an extending dog 6D.

Extending transversely of the support 3B intermA` ate the ends thereof and xedly secured @$59.153 b latet 5| which Supports a Spring 6.2 by @sans gf a link .63 ,havilg bile end SUP- portel .in the bracket 6I and having the other en d secured to Vone end of the spring 52. The other end of the spring ;62 is operatively connected to the frame 9i the tractor by means 0f wenn it 11112@ serias .62 normally maintains cannot be effected from one side, it is merely necessary to withdraw the blade 53 from one side of the stump and re-apply the blade 50 to the opposite side thereof in substantial alignment with the previously-made cut. In this manner, very large stumps may be cut with speed and facility.

Numerous modifications Vof the cutting attachment of the present invention may be'made without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

l. A cutting attachment for connection to a tractor including a frame, a power take off extending rearwardly of said frame, and a hydraulically actuated drawbar arranged longitudinaly of and rearwardly of said frame and connected at one end to said frame for up and down movement with respect to a ground surface and having a crossbar at the other end thereof, said attachment comprising an upstanding hitch arranged longitudinally of and contiguous to said take oif'and fixedly secured to the adjacent po'rtion of said frame, said hitch including a pair of spaced vertically disposed side walls, an end wall4 extending'between said side walls adjacent one end thereof and xedly secured thereto, and a base plate positioned between the said side walls inwardly of the other end of the latter named walls and spaced from said end walls and connected intermediate its ends to said side walls for pivotal movement in a vertical plane toward and away from said ground surface, a support arranged longitudinally of said drawbar and resting upon the crossbar of said drawbar and having one end connected to the base plate of said hitch for swinging movement about a vertical axis, a driven shaft positioned longitudinally of and uponsaid support and having one extending through the end wall of said hitch and connected to said power take ol, a vertically disposed driven shaft arranged adjacent .the other end of said rst named driven shaft and having one end connected to said other endof said latter named shaft for rotation therewith, and a horizontally disposed cutter blade connected to said vertically disposed driven shaft for rotation therewith.

v2. a cutting attachment for connection .to a

tractor including a frame, a power take off extending rearwardly of said frame, and a hydraulically actuated drawbar arranged longitudinally of and rearwardly of said frame and connected at one end to said frame for up and down movement with respect to a ground surface and having a crossbar at the other end thereof, said attachment comprising an upstanding hitch arranged longitudinally of and contiguous to said take off and xedly secured to the adjacent portion of said frame, said hitch including a pair of spaced vertically disposed side Walls, an end wall extending between said side walls adjacent one end thereof and fixedly secured thereto, and a base plate positioned between said side walls inwardly of the other end of the latter named walls and spaced from said end Wall and connected intermediate its ends to said walls for pivotal movement in a vertical plane toward and away from said ground surface, a support arranged longitudinally of said drawloar and resting upon the crossbar of said drawbar and having one end connected to the base plate of said hitch for swinging movement about a vertical axis, a driven shaft positioned longitudinally of and upon said support and having one end extending through the end Wall REFERENCES CTEB The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,447,606 Seymour Mar. 6, 1923 1,798,402 Dibble Mar. 31, 1931 2,105,030 Dunham Jan. l1, 1938 2,350,880 Dellinger et al. June 6, 1944 2,435,192 Arsneau Feb. 3, 1948 2,439,607 Irwin Apr. 13, 1948 2,462,314 Fuqua Feb. 22, 1949 

